Mail-box.



Patented Apr. 30, l90l. W. A. BARR.

MAIL BOX.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1901.

(No Model.)

W1 f/VESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. BARR, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 673,152, dated April 30, 1901. Application filed January 29, 1901. Serial No. 45.2%. on, model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that .1, WILLIAM A. BARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Mail- Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvementsin mail-boxes, and has for one objectthe prod uc-' tion of a false bottom which is adapted to be applied to existing as well as new boxes and which serves to preserve the mail-matter in a dry condition and greatly'facilitates collections.

Another object of my invention is the production of an improved door designed more especially for use in connection with what are known as rural mail-boxes, and a further object is the provision of improved signaling means for the patron and carrier.

The nature of my invention will be understood from a reading of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mailbox embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the false bottom.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A de-.

notes the box, having an opening in its front end, and B is the door, which is hinged at its' the upper side of the opening with a flange a of a width to extend beyond the door-flange b to prevent the entrance of rain and snow, the flange a being transversely curved on a radius of which the pintle of the door-hinge is the center.

D denotes a false bottom, preferably constructed from sheet metal and consisting of a corrugated or fluted plate supported by legs (1 d, preferably at an incline to direct the mail-matter to the front of the box. The ribs or projections d 01 formed by the corrugations support the mail-matter above the depressions d d and not only is the matter thereby held out of contact with any water which may have entered the box, but the withdrawal thereof is greatly facilitated by reason of the inclination of the false bottom and the ease of handling, the depressions being of sufficient depth to allow of the ready insertion of the fingers beneath the letters and other contents. The rear end of the false bottom is preferably curved upwardly, and the front end is elevated slightly above the bottom of the box. In each depression are holes (i d for the escape of water, and a a are holes in the box-bottom for a similar purpose. The box may be mounted to have a slight inclination to direct the water to any desired point of escape.

E E denote signal-arms, commonly pivoted in a pin or bolt 6 at the side of the box. These arms are differently colored, and either one is inserted to a position above the top of the box to indicate that there is mail to be collected or that there is mail to be delivered.

I claim as my invention-- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a false bottom for mail-boxes consisting of a plate having an area equal to the horizontal area of the box and adapted to be supported by the bottom of the box, said plate having mailmatter-supporting ribs extending in the direction of the collection-opening the ribs being spaced apart sufficiently to permit insertion of the hand beneath the mail-matter.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a false bottom for mail-boxes consistingof a perforated sheet-metal plate having an area equal to the horizontal area of the box and adapted to be supported at an inclination by the bottom of the box, said plate having mailmatter-supporting ribs extending in the direction of the collection-opening the ribs being spaced'apart sufficiently to permit insertion of the hand beneath the mail-matter.

A m ail-box havingaitransversely-curved flange above the door-opening, and a door for the opening'ha-ving an inner flange perforated to receive the locking-bolt and having 

